Strawberry Gashes
by Titchy
Summary: Chappy 10 up!In a state of depression Ginny Weasley turns to the one thing that can comfort her, her blade. Can Draco Malfoy really help her or is he too late? DG. review or flame it's all good. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1: Secrets

Strawberry gashes  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from this fic. They are all JK Rowling's wonderful creation blah blah blah.  
  
Chapter 1: Secrets  
  
As I pressed the blade gently to my skin, the warm, red blood gently trickled out. I felt my mind unwind as the sticky, liquid ran free and dripped on the carpet. There was a sudden knock on the door,  
  
"Virginia?"  
  
Panic coursed through my veins as someone tried to open the door. In a hurry I pulled my sleeve down hiding the strawberry gashes that decorated my arms and threw the blade in to an empty draw in my dressing.  
  
"Just a minute!" I called, my voice shaking slightly. The cream carpet was soaked with crimson blood. I dragged the Indian rug my mother had given me as a joint Christmas and birthday present over the stained carpet. Summer was approaching and I knew that I wouldn't be able to use my long sleeves to hide the truth much longer. I would have to think of a new way.  
  
"Virginia? Can I come in?" I scanned the room quickly checking for any sign of what had just taken place. I felt the wet blood on my arm dampen my jumper but it was too late to do anything about it. The jumper was black and it wouldn't show.  
  
"Come in" I called making my voice as steady as possible. I plastered a fake smile to my face as Hermione Granger, head girl and also my brother, Ron's, girlfriend entered the room. "Are you alright Ginny" she asked scrutinizing me carefully."  
  
"Fine." I answered in a false cheery tone that made me feel sick to the pits of my stomach. Hermione frowned at me suspiciously but decided to let the matter drop for the moment.  
  
"Ok, well shall we go down to dinner?"  
  
"Uh no.I've got a potions essay to finish for Snape and you know what the greasy git's like." I said praying that she wouldn't see through my obvious lie.  
  
"Oh.well..okay then. I'll see you later Gin."  
  
"Yeah, bye." I let out a sigh of relief as the door closed quietly behind Hermione. That had been close. I sank back on to my bed to finish what I had started. Slowly, I opened the draw to my dressing and picked up the blade on which my blood had started to dry. I washed it in the sink and made sure it was clean again before I pressed it back to my skin allowing the relief to seep through me as the blood seeped out.  
  
Author's note: Sorry it's so short but I just wanted to get this bit up first. Review and tell me if this fic's worth continuing with or not. 


	2. Chapter 2: Caught in the act

Chapter 2: Caught in the act  
  
Draco Malfoy was sitting in the Great Hall when Pansy "Pug face" Parkinson sat down next to him far too close for comfort. Malfoy continued to ignore her even as he felt Pansy's hand slide up his thigh. He turned and smirked at her, giving her his whole and undivided attention for 2 whole seconds before returning back to his meal. Despite the rumour that he and Pansy were a couple, Malfoy hated the girl and only put up with her to please his father. He knew his father was already organising their wedding for next year after his graduation but he'd be damned if he ever married the Slytherin whore.  
  
His gaze wandered to the Gryffindor table where the "pansy house" ate their meals and he scowled darkly in the direction of the dream team. He noticed that the Weasley's sister wasn't there and frowned slightly. He'd noticed her looking a bit pale last night at dinner and she hadn't turned up for any of her meals today. But of course her prat of a brother wouldn't pick up on that. It wasn't that he was worried about the Weasley girl; he couldn't even remember her name. It was something like Vinny, Dinny or..Ginny that was it. He just knew that there was something wrong and he planned to find out what it was. After all it's always good to know your enemies weakness. Draco drained his goblet and stood up, letting Pansy's hand which was running circles round his thigh drop to the bench with a smack. He smirked one last time at her before setting of out the Great Hall to collect to his invisibility cloak and see what the little weasel was up to.  
  
Ginny gasped as the blade cut deeper than she had intended. She had just wanted it to be a little bigger than it had been. It was getting harder to feel the same amount of release, but she needed it, she needed it desperately.  
  
To begin with she'd cut herself in order to punish herself for the terribly things she did in her first year. Nobody had understood what she had gone through and how she had felt and no one had even tried to. Her first year at Hogwarts had destroyed her and now people kept away from her in fear of whether she was still possessed. In actual reality Ginny knew that she had never been truly possessed. Tom had manipulated her, bending her to his own liking. But she could hardly tell anyone the truth. So she cut. She gauged in to her skin and let the blood run free and she would continue until there was no blood left to drain from her veins. She was addicted but too proud to admit it. She had to stop, but who could she turn to? Although at one time her reasons for cutting were understandable, now they were just trivial. A fight with one of her housemates and she was locked in her dorm with her blade or sometimes bits of glass she had found.  
  
Suddenly, the door creaked open and slammed. Ginny jumped in shock and threw herself on to her four poster bed pulling her curtains around her. Her heartbeat paced rapidly and she was breathing rapidly. Surely no one had finished their dinner yet. No one usually came back for another hour.  
  
Draco Malfoy stood by the girl's dormitory door. He had meant to quietly sneak in and find out what the Weasel girl was doing and then leave as soon as possible but his plan seemed to have back fired. He hadn't realized the door would creak so loudly and when he saw what the little weasel was doing he had frozen and accidentally let the door slam. He stared at the spot where Ginny had been sitting and where a drop of blood had spilt in her haste to hide. Slowly he raised the sleeve of his robe and traced the thin pale white scars that covered his arm. He'd stopped now, but for two years he had cut himself until the stage where he knew he couldn't continue any longer. He had started it as a way of releasing all his anger and frustration at his father. His father had beaten him and he had known that no one would notice a few cuts and scratches on his arms. He couldn't cry. Malfoy's didn't cry. So he had turned to the next best thing. He felt a sudden swell of anger at the girl. What reason did she have for cutting herself! Did she even know what pain was! How could she. She was surrounded by a family who loved her and would do anything for her. She had no reason to cut herself.  
  
As Draco fought to control his temper, Ginny's head peeped out from the curtains. She had heard the door slam but no one seemed to be in the room. She peered all the way around her dorm before coming out from behind the curtains. She stared at her arm. It still hadn't stopped bleeding. The release that she had felt was turning in to panic as she realized it showed no sign of stopping. She found a handkerchief inside her draw and started dabbing at the wound frantically praying that it would stop before someone found her.  
  
Draco watched from 2 metres away as the girl tried to stop the bleeding. He sighed in frustration at her lack of common sense and pulled his cloak of. He saw the look of shock on her face turn quickly to fear and saw her open her mouth in an attempt to scream. In a heartbeat Malfoy was at her side with a hand clamped over her mouth.  
  
"Do you want everyone to see you in this state?" Ginny shook her head frantically from side to side, "Then I suggest you shutup and let me take a look at that." Ginny's eyes widened and she gaped at him in surprise. Malfoy grabbed her uninjured arm and dragged her towards the bathroom. He filled up one of the sinks with water and grabbed a flannel from the cupboard aswell as some gauze. Neither of them said a word as Draco cleaned her wound and wrapped the gauze around it.  
  
Ginny stared at Draco with shock, confusion, uncertainty and a bit of apprehension. She had no idea what he was doing in her dorm room or why he was there or even why he was bandaging up her cuts.  
  
As Draco wrapped up the cuts, he was mentally questioning himself. 'She's a Weasley, what the bloody hell am I doing?!? This is her problem not mine. I should just walk away. Now. Before I become too involved and she thinks I care.' But try as Draco did he could not walk away from the weak, defenceless girl. It was easy to miss from afar, but up close he could see the shadows that haunted her murky green eyes. Something bad had happened to her; something which had broken her in to lots of tiny fragments. He wasn't entirely sure what he wanted and needed some time to think. He finished the bandaging, rinsed the sink, picked up his cloak and without a word left; leaving Ginny staring at the door.  
  
Authors note: Hi everyone! I just wanted to say a big thankyou to all of you who reviewed. Some of you said I should just scrap this fic, but most of you said to continue so I did.  
  
For those of you that wanted to know, yes the title is taken from a song called "Strawberry Gashes" funnily enough by Jack off Jill.  
  
I actually wrote the beginning of this fic a year ago because my best friend used to cut herself she told me about it in such great depth that for a while I was going to try it. Luckily I didn't, but I needed to write about it to get it out. I just want to say that although cutting does make people feel better, don't be dependant and if you can, try to stop. It's hard but you can do it!  
  
Thankyou to watermelonz, InsaneHyperness and lilsteves for adding me to your favourite author lists 


	3. Chapter 3: Worries

Chapter 3: Worries  
  
Draco stared up at the ceiling in his dormitory and watched the slytherin snakes and they slithered across the ceiling. It was 2 in the morning and he had been lying there since he had left the little weasel. Again he replayed the incident in her room and again he wondered why it was that he couldn't get her out of his mind. He'd tried sleeping but every time he shut his eyes the redhead appeared. He was curious as to what had happened to her that made her resort to something as desperate as cutting and he wondered why none of her brothers had picked up on what she was doing to herself. He'd realized why he had been drawn towards her when he'd seen her harming herself. It was simple. She reminded him of himself. Locked in a room with no one to help. A feeling of desperation and the need for that release. He'd been there and he'd done that; but he'd given up; and it had been hard. No one should ever have had to go through what he himself had. Not alone anyway. And that's why she was going to get his help, whether she wanted it or not. Draco closed his eyes and sighed. He knew that the main problem would be the trust issue. She would never trust him after what he'd done to the dream team since they'd got to Hogwarts. But what was he supposed to do. In slytherin there are no friends only close enemies and those with power and those too weak to seek it. Weakness was not something you show in the Slytherin common room.  
  
When he was small, his father had taught him a very important lesson. No matter who you are on the inside you never let it show on the outside. And so he hadn't. He'd locked away his true person, caged himself up like an animal and shown only what people expected of him.  
  
On the opposite side of the castle, Ginny Weasley also lay awake. She ran her fingers over the gauze for the millionth time that night as she thought over the events that had taken place that night. Her emotions were running high. She was scared that Malfoy would reveal her secret, confused as to why he had been there and although she would never admit it, glad that someone had finally noticed even if it had been Malfoy. She decided to go to Malfoy in the morning and beg him not to tell anyone and in return she would do anything excluding sexual activities. Ginny was wary about what Malfoy would want her to do but decided that whatever it was it would be worth it. With that thought in mind Ginny closed her eyes and tossed and turned, slowly drifted off in to a restless sleep.  
  
As the sun rose on the Saturday morning, two very different people awoke each with the determination to find the other.  
  
As it happened Ginny was the first to wake and she stood outside the Great Hall waiting for Malfoy to appear. Half an hour later she was still waiting and after her tummy had grumbled and she herself had done a bit of grumbling she decided to find him later and settled for having breakfast instead. Half way through her breakfast Draco Malfoy strode in to the Great Hall. His cool grey eyes sweeped over the Gryfindor table until they met Ginny's. He raised an eyebrow and smirked before shifting his gaze to the dream team who she had sat near to. His smirk widened as he saw them and made his way over to their table.  
  
"Well, well well if it isn't the dream team" said Draco swaggering up to the table as though he owned the place.  
  
"Get stuffed Malfoy," said Harry without even looking up from his copy of "Quidditch through the Ages". Draco stopped directly behind Ginny, but before he could open his mouth to say something back, Professor McGonagall showed up.  
  
"Is there a problem here Mr Malfoy?" She asked.  
  
"No, Professor" replied Malfoy with a scowl before turning around and heading to the Slytherin table.  
  
Ginny let out the breath she'd been holding since Malfoy had approached. She'd been worried he was going to say something and as her heartbeat returned to normal she looked back at her plate and only then was she aware of a slip of paper beside her plate.  
  
Meet me by the lake after breakfast. DM  
  
There was no need to wonder what DM stood for. Ginny looked over at the Slytherin table where Malfoy was piling pancakes on to his plate and ignoring her completely. She looked back at her plate and the note no longer hungry. She swallowed some of her orange juice from her goblet and swallowed her fears away at the same time. Then she got up to and exited the Great Hall without a backward glance.  
  
Authors note: Sorry it's been a while sine I updated but I'm on holiday at the moment in America and I have exams coming up in a week and a half. So I probably won't update for a couple of weeks.  
  
Thanks to anyone who reviewed. Review if you haven't, review again if you have. Thank you 


	4. Chapter 4: The promise

Chapter 4: The promise  
  
Ginny was lying by the lake watching the clouds float by when Draco found her. At first he said nothing just stood looking down on her his shadow crossing over her face. He studied her; noticing how her red copper curls blended in with the falling leaves around her. She looked small and vulnerable as she lay there. She was pretty; not striking enough to attract the male population of Hogwarts, but pretty in an innocent pure sort of way. Her freckles which had once occupied over half of her face were now only a sprinkle over her nose. But there was a darker side to her face. Bags under her eyes showed her lack of sleep and cuts near her wrists vaguely showed where the second hand jumper failed to reach. Ginny frowned at the object that was blocking the sun from her and turned her head towards Draco's cool grey eyes. Ginny sat up as their gaze met.  
  
"We need to talk" said Draco simply. Ginny nodded. After a while Ginny broke the silence,  
  
"Someone should probably say something before one of us graduates"  
  
"Right. How long have you been cutting yourself for and why?" Whatever it was that Ginny had been expecting him to say to her, that was not it. Those were personal questions that Ginny wasn't sure she wanted to tell anyone yet, let alone a Malfoy. Playing for time Ginny replied,  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"How long have you been taking a blade and cutting your skin open with it" he said harshly. Ginny hesitated for a few moments.  
  
"How long" Malfoy demanded.  
  
"Two years" whispered Ginny. "But it's not what you think. I'm not dependant or anything. I'm just looking for a little release every now and then. Look, please don't tell anyone, I promise I'll do anything just please don't tell anyone."  
  
"Anything?"  
  
Ginny hesitated slightly before clearing her throat and adding firmly, "Anything."  
  
"Give up."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Give up cutting yourself." Draco explained. Ginny stared at him for a while. She weighed up her options and realized that Malfoy would never know whether she had given up or not seeing as she would hardly ever seem him. She decided to play along. She could always cut when she needed to, she just couldn't miss meals to do it. She could do it in the bathroom instead, when everyone was asleep.  
  
"Okay." Ginny replied, thinking that this was going to be easier than she had thought. Draco noticed a slight smile on her face and knew exactly what she was thinking.  
  
"Come here" Draco said. Ginny, slightly confused, rose to her feet and took a couple of steps towards Draco. Draco reached for Ginny's arms and took out his wand. Without explaining what he was doing, he waved his wand over her arms muttering a spell, and then he released her. Ginny stood back with a weird look on her face.  
  
"What was that?" She asked her voice shaking slightly for she had a vague suspision what that spell had been about.  
  
"A spell to tell me if you've been cutting yourself. Even if it's a scratch, even if it happened accidentally during a Quidditch match, I'll know about it."  
  
Ginny stared at him open mouthed and she knew he'd beaten him. Then she stopped to think. He hadn't asked for anything that would help him. He'd done something that he thought would help her. But it's not going to help her she argued to herself. Take away her blades and there was nothing she could do to help her. To make her feel human. To punish herself for the things she did. She stared at the lake and felt tears well up in her eyes. She turned back to Draco again and knew she had no choice, "Okay." She said. That one word had condemned her.  
  
Draco looked at her through his piercing gaze and saw that she would give it a go. He'd have to keep an eye on her to make sure she was okay, but it looked as though she would at least try and stop. He noticed she was near to tears at the mere thought of letting go of her blade and he realized that she would find it harder than he had. She was weaker than he was and he was sure she'd need his help. But first he wanted to give her a shot on her own, see how well she could cope. He took one more look in to her tortured eyes before turning around and leaving.  
  
Ginny watched him go before turning back to the lake and letting her tears run free. She pulled her knees up to her chest like a lost, little girl and cried for all she was worth.  
  
Authors note: This chapter is for Cinnamon Angel as she wanted another chappie before my exams. Sorry it's not very long but I can't do anymore at the moment as I have to catch a plane back to England in a couple of hours and I haven't even begun to pack! Hope you enjoyed this chappie everyone! Please Review! 


	5. Chapter 5: Family time

Authors note: I know I usually do this at the end and there is another one at the end but before I start this chapter I just want everyone who read the last chapter 5 to know that I'm really sorry but I accidently uploaded the wrong thing.  
  
Chapter 5: Family time  
  
Ginny sat in the corner of the Gryffindor common room with a potions textbook covering her face from prying eyes. She was shaking slightly although she wasn't quite sure why. She stared at her potions book without really seeing it while one hand slid up and down her scars making her breathe in deeply as she felt the pain. It was all she could do.  
  
"Hey Gin whats up?" said Ron as he came up to his little sister. He stared at her when she didn't answer and waved his hand in front of her face. Ginny's head snapped up and her forehead creased in to a frown as soon as she saw who it was.  
  
"What did you do that for?" yelled Ginny. The whole common room went silent and Ron stared at Ginny with a little frown of his own. Ginny muttered a quick "Sorry." And an apologetic smile at the rest of the people in the common room before turning back to her brother and apologizing again.  
  
"You know Gin, I'm worried about you. You don't come down to meals that often anymore, you always go to bed early and when you do sit in the common room you don't talk with me, Harry or Hermione anymore. Hermione says you even close yourself of in your dormitory from all the other girls."  
  
"Been talking about me have you?" Ginny asked nastily.  
  
"No Gin we've just been worried. What's going on?" Ginny sighed as she looked in to her brother's concerned face. He was only trying to be nice and he was worried about her. Ginny had always got on with her brother well but these days she didn't feel she could talk to anyone. It was true, she had been skipping even more meals than she had before. Truth is she was avoiding people altogether. She just didn't feel like being around them. Especially a certain Malfoy who had taken to staring at her during meals and looking away whenever she turned around. Ginny saw that her brother was still staring at her and sighed again.  
  
"I just haven't been feeling well lately." She said. It was the simplest reason she could think of and wasn't entirely a lie. Ron's worry lines deepened as the words Ginny had just spoken sunk in. "It's nothing really" She added hastily not wanting to worry him. "Probably just a cold or something."  
  
"Right" said Ron looking a bit unconvinced. "Well why don't you come and sit with me, Harry and Hermione" for a bit. Ginny looked over to Harry and Hermione who were watching the whole the whole scene with interest and back at her brother.  
  
"I'm not sure."She said cautiously. "I mean..I've got a potions essay due in tomorrow and I really have to finish it." She said quickly yanking her potions book open.  
  
"I'm sure it can wait for half an hour besides Hermione can help you. Come on." Said Ron and began tugging Ginny up. Reluctantly Ginny rose to her feet and made her way across the common room towards the other members of the Dream Team.  
  
"Hey Gin." Said Harry and Hermione as Ginny and Ron made it to the sofas.  
  
"'Mione Gin's doing a potions essay you can help her with" said Ron as he pulled out a board of Wizard's chess. "Game Harry?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Another essay? Snape's sure making you guys work hard." Said Hermione slightly puzzled. He doesn't even give us that much and we're doing our NEWTS.  
  
"Uh.yeah.it's because I um..accidently spilt a little bit too much lavender essence in to my potion."  
  
" Oh right. Well what's your essay on."  
  
Ginny thought quickly "Pepper-up potion." It was actually the last essay which they had written and Ginny had gotten full marks on much to the fury of the Potions Professor but Ginny's mind had gone blank and so for a full half hour she listened to Hermione drone on about the pepper-up potion before she excused herself to go to bed where she could finally think in peace and quiet before she fell asleep.  
  
* * * *  
  
Ginny awoke, struggling to break free of the nightmare she'd been having. Drenched in sweat she found her wand and muttered, "Lumos". She grabbed her nightgown and pulled it over herself before reaching over to her bedside table and pulling out her knife. She pressed it lightly to her skin feeling that familiar wave of nausea that she always got before she cut and was about to press the blade down when a voice hissed "Don't" in her ear. Ginny squealed and always feel off the bed almost cutting of her hand in the process. A loud thump echoed in the dormitory and one girl sleeply muttered, "Alright Gin?"  
  
"Fine, just had a bad dream. Go back to bed."  
  
Ginny stood up and pointed her wand at the intruder who happened to be none other than Draco Malfoy. "What the hell are you doing here." She whispered angrily at him.  
  
"I thought we had a deal" Draco said glaring at her, completely ignoring her question.  
  
Ginny backed off at his glare and bowed her head looking ashamed.  
  
"I can't do it" She whispered. "I can't do it." Draco's glare melted as he saw the pain that this girl was in. Her head was still bowed and it was too dark to see her face, but he guessed she was crying. His suspicions were confirmed when a lone tear drop fell from her cheek and hit the carpet. She sat on her bed, rolled herself up and began rocking to and fro. "I tried, I really did. You have to believe me. But I can't stop." She finally looked at him and her face was a mask of tears. Draco didn't know what to say. For once a Malfoy was speechless in the face of a Weasley. So he didn't say anything. Instead he sat on her bed and hesitantly put an arm around her. She burrowed her head into his chest, not noticing how he stiffened up at the contact and sobbed. Draco rested his back against her headboard and ran a hand through her red locks. He slowly started to relax and wrapped his arms around her as she poured out her soul in tears. He held her as she fell asleep and watched the sun rise marking the beginning of what was going to be a very difficult day for Ginny.  
  
Author's note: Three cheers for me hip hip hurray! My exams don't finish till Wednesday but I'm off till Monday coz I've got no exams till then so I thought I'd add an extra chappie to my fic. It's not as good as the others but I thought it'd be better than nothing.  
  
Thankyou to all my reviewers coz you guys are the ones who inspire me to write more.  
  
So review or flame it's all good. 


	6. Chapter 6: Happy days

A/N Just realized I haven't been doing disclaimers...oops  
  
Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the HP characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing on fanfic...duh!  
  
Chapter 6: Happy days  
  
Ginny awoke slowly and took in the masculine scent that was her pillow. As she slowly drifted in to consciousness the events of last night flooded her brain as did the emotions. Ginny felt the tears prick at the back of her eyes again, but she swallowed them. She was not going to cry anymore. It wouldn't help. Instead she looked up at her pillow.  
  
Draco looked like an angel while he slept. His soft, blonde hair fell easily around his boyishly handsome face. Even while he slept though, he looked like royalty with his aristocratic features. Ginny watched how his chest rose and fell with the rhythm of his breathing. He had filled out a bit over the last few years and was no longer a scrawny boy of 11. For some reason, Ginny's eyes were drawn to a scar which ran over his collar bone. For unknown reasons she reached out with her small hand to touch it but before her hand could reach, her wrist was caught by a larger, much stronger hand. Ginny looked up in to the cold, icy grey eyes of Malfoy and began to suspect that he had been awake for a long time.  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat" he murmured. Ginny blushed as she realized what she had been about to do and looked away.  
  
"Sorry" she mumbled.  
  
"Any chance you could get off me now that you're awake. Like now. Your no bloody feather and I think my legs havegone dead." Ginny looked up and glared at him and Draco smirked in return. She scrambled off Draco doing the blonde more harm than good as she stuck her hands and feet in places that she shouldn't know existed. "Ow! You stood on my hand! Watch it, Weasley you clumsy cow!" The foul tempered slytherin cursed.  
  
"Watch where you put your over-sized – oof!" The blonde's complaint was cut off as Ginny 'accidentally' managed to firmly plant her foot in his ribs as she tried to stand up.  
  
"Why you little – argh!" Ginny began to laugh helplessly as she slipped, landing on top of Draco's head, burying his face in to her pillow. She was so hysterical that she couldn't even get up off Malfoy.  
  
"Get off me you worthless brat or I swear to God I'll set a blast ended skrewt on you!" Draco's muffled yell came. Ginny attempted to get up, but caught her foot in the sheets. Once again she tumbled over only this time she rolled off the bed taking Draco who was also wrapped in the sheets with her. With a loud thump Draco landed on the floor and before he could regain his composure the littlest of the Weasleys landed on top of him knocking all the breath out of him. The Weasley was still laughing hysterically.  
  
"Well I'm glad one of us finds this amusing" grumbled Draco as he tried to help Ginny clamber off him without causing him any more internal damage. But she was still tangled in the bedsheet and again she fell landing on Draco. Draco "Ooofed" loudly as once again the red head fell on top of him.  
  
"That's it!" Yelled Draco and he rolled himself and the youngest of the Weasley clan over and pinned the redheads arms above her head. Before Ginny knew what was happening, Draco was tickling her mercilessly. The young red head screeched loudly as Draco's nimble fingers ticked her the sensitive skin on her tummy.  
  
"Now you'll show some bloody respect brat!" said Draco in his superior tone.  
  
"Aaarrggh...stop....haha...Draco....please" shouted Ginny in between giggles.  
  
"First say...Malfoy is the greatest and I should learn to never mess with a superior intelligence." Draco said smirking his annoying Malfoy smirk.  
  
"Never!"  
  
"Well then..." Draco's smirk widened as he whipped off Ginny's socks and proceeded to tickle her feet. Ginny's yells became louder and he was glad he'd put a silencing charm over Ginny's part of the dorm last night considering the attention they would have drawn had anyone else heard her. One would have thought he was trying to rape her. Ginny started writhing all over as Draco tickled the sensitive flesh on her feet. "Go on....say it."  
  
"Fine! Malfoy is the greatest and he should learn to never mess with a superior intelligence."  
  
"Ha ha very funny" said Draco and moved on to the small of her back where he found a very ticklish spot.  
  
"Okay, okay...Draco is the greatest and I should never mess with a superior intelligence. Happy?"  
  
"Yes." Said Draco as he released Ginny and sat leaned against the side of her bed. Ginny sat up, gasping for breath and looked over at Draco. She was surprised to see a smile on his face. Not a smirk but a real smile. Her eyes travelled downwards and she took in his dishevelled appearance. Draco noticed her staring at him and his smile turned in to a smirk.  
  
"Do I satisfy your curiosity?" he asked raising a blonde eyebrow at her.  
  
Ginny went red again, stood up and shifted around uncomfortably. She looked down and when she looked back up again there was no trace of a smile to be found on her face.  
  
"What were you doing here last night Malfoy?" She asked. Now it was Draco's turn to look uncomfortable as he too stood.  
  
"Um...well...I..." he stuttered.  
  
"Spit it out Malfoy!" said Ginny, her forehead creasing in to a frown.  
  
Draco ran a hand through his dishevelled hair, his mind racing to think up a plausible excuse. Somehow he didn't think 'to watch you sleep because I've suddenly found myself obsessed with you' would impress Ginny.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you. To see how you were handling everything. Guess I found out though didn't I?" he said as casually as possible.  
  
"Yeah." Said Ginny, looking a bit suspicious. She let it go though and looked down at her watch to see the time. "Oh my God! It's 9.15, classes start in 5 minutes! I haven't had breakfast, I'm not changed!" She whirled around the room, tossing out clothes from different draws before looking up and seeing Draco laughing at her. "What?!?" She asked thoroughly exasperated at the fact that she was the only one panicking, while Draco stood there using her bed as support to lean on while he laughed.  
  
"It's Saturday, you twit."  
  
A/N note: Sorry it's been a while peeps, but I'm sure those of you with fics out there know how it is. I've got my GCSE's this year, so I'm trying to fit in this fic around all the extra work teachers have been giving us. I swear their trying to kill us off with coursework. Anyway soz, I'll try and update as quickly as possible.  
  
I know this chappie is completely different from the rest but I figured if the whole story was as gloomy as the first 5 chapters have been it would be a pretty crappy story so I've tried to lighten up the atmosphere a bit. Tell me what you think. Please review as that's the only reason I post these up on fanfic, otherwise this would remain on my computer and I wouldn't be encouraged to update regularly.  
  
Thanks to all my reviewers!!! 


	7. Chapter 7: Malfoy Meat

Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the HP characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing on fanfic...duh!  
  
Chapter 7: Malfoy Meat  
  
After more mayhem which included a pillow fight due to Draco's comment, Ginny finally made a start on getting dressed for breakfast. It was now nearly 10:30 and the rest of the dormitory was empty.  
  
"Good God woman! Can I turn around yet? How long does it take to get dressed! You're going down for breakfast with fellow Gryffs not the Queen of England!" exclaimed Draco, having been facing the wall for the last half hour.  
  
"Alright I'm ready." Announced Ginny.  
  
"'Bout time. I'm starving." grumbled Draco, heading for the door.  
  
"Just how do you plan on getting out of the Gryffindor Tower without being seen?" asked Ginny innocently. Draco groaned as he looked around the room for his invisibility cloak. He'd had prefect duties last night patrolling the corridors near the Gryffindor tower and hadn't seen the need for his cloak. Draco cursed under his breath.  
  
"Well I'm off for breakfast." said Ginny smiling sweetly at Draco. "See you later."  
  
"Hang on a minute brat, you can't just leave me here...what if one of your roommates comes back?" said Draco with a hint of panic in his voice  
  
"What...is ickle Malfoy afraid of the big bad Gryff girls?" mocked Ginny.  
  
"Hardly" retorted Draco a little too quickly, "I just cringe to think of the rumours that would be spread if they found me here."  
  
Ginny glared at Draco for that comment before spinning sharply on her heel and heading out the door. Draco stood where he was in shock at the littlest Weasley having left him. But before he had a chance to come up with a way out of his current predicament, Ginny reappeared with an invisibility cloak.  
  
"Where did that come from?" Asked Draco amazed that anyone else in this school had the money to buy an invisibility cloak.  
  
"Harrys" Ginny replied simply. "As soon as you're out of the common room you can take it off and I'll sneak it back up before Harry gets back from lunch."  
  
"I'm not wearing anything that belongs to Scarhead." growled Draco.  
  
"Fine your loss. I wonder how long it'll be till Susie gets back from breakfast." she said as she turned to go back out the door. Draco threw his hands up in frustration before muttering angrily,  
  
"Just give me the damn cloak." Ginny tossed it at him and he caught it deftly.  
  
When, after much grumbling, Draco had put on the cloak they headed down the stairs of the Girls dormitory with Ginny leading the way. Unfortunately, half way down, the stairs transformed smoothly in to a slide. Draco, having slipped, grabbed Ginny for support taking her down with him until they both landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. The picture would have been comical for those who watched had the boy not been Draco. Draco was clearly visible underneath Ginny and the invisibility cloak which had fallen off Draco when he had slipped floated down to rest on top of them both.  
  
"Bloody stairs." Draco yelled, oblivious to the menacing stares of the Gryffindors that surrounded him.  
  
"oh shit!" muttered Ginny going pale as she saw the hoards of people that surrounded them. She quickly scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could out of the common room before anyone could stop her.  
  
********************************************************************* Draco stared after Ginny as he watched her take flight. Someone cleared their throat and Draco turned around to face the mean stares of those he had humiliated time and time again. Draco quickly assessed his situation. He may be full of himself and have an ego the size of Austrailia but he was not stupid. Without thinking twice he too scrambled to his feet, grabbed the cloak and took off after Ginny.  
  
******************************************************************* Ginny ran outside the castle and across the grounds to the lake where she collapsed in a heap out of breath. Again she felt tears sting the back of her eyes and she blinked furiously, angry that such a small thing should make her cry. She felt a sudden need to cut. Instead she grabbed a pebble near by and threw it as hard and far as she could. She watched the ripples it created and the sight of the gentle waves soothed her. She suddenly noticed something silver land on her lap. Looking up she saw the face of Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Cheers for leaving me with that pack of bloodhounds." He said.  
  
Ginnny scowled darkly at him wanting to be alone, "What are you doing here? I thought you were famished." Draco shrugged before dropping down beside her.  
  
"I lost my appetite at the sight of your brother wanting to kill me. I'd advise you not to back to your common room any time soon by the way. They looked ready to kill."  
  
Ginny shrugged in return, "Doesn't matter. The worst they can do is ignore me and they do it anyway so what difference does it make." Draco looked at Ginny curiously. She had just admitted to having no friends, yet there wasn't a trace of self-pity in her voice. It was said matter-of- factly as though she were commenting on the weather, not the void that was her life.  
  
Suddenly something occurred to Ginny. "How did you manage to get up the stairs to my dorm room last night? Didn't the stairs turn in to a slide?"  
  
Draco tinged pink slightly. "Uh...they did." Muttered Draco looking anywhere but at Ginny.  
  
"And?" asked Ginny curiously, a smirk creeping on to her face as she watched Malfoy squirm.  
  
"Iranupthemsoasnottofalldownandgrabbedontothedoorofyourdormitorytodragmyself upthelastfewstairs." Said Draco all in a rush. Ginny had never seen the Slytherin ice prince so flustered before and laughed out right.  
  
"All this to see how I was getting on?"  
  
To this Draco returned with spite "Well yeah...I mean if you commited suicide I'd hate to feel guilty. I mean, if it weren't for that, I'd never look twice at you." As soon as the words left Draco's mouth he regretted them. The look of pain that flashed across her face showed that he had poured salt over a wound that had not yet healed. He felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach., "Ginny...I..."  
  
"What?" asked Ginny sharply, her eyes cold as lead as she stared at him. "It's true so why not say it. I'm nobody."  
  
Draco curled a finger under her chin and forced her to look in to his eyes.  
  
"No Virginia Weasley, you are so much more."  
  
And with that he left. As Ginny watched him go she found she no longer wanted to be alone.  
  
A/N sorry I have not updated for ages. Stressed about work as per usual. I don't know when the next chappie will be up. Please review or flame.  
  
Thankyou to all my reviewers!!!!!!!!! 


	8. Chapter 8: Forbidden Territory

Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the HP characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing on fanfic...duh!  
  
Chapter 8: Forbidden Territory  
  
Ginny slowly made her way back to her common room in no hurry to confront her angry brother and the rest of the 'Dream Team' who no doubt would have heard about the little scene with Malfoy by now. It was an hour after he had left her and yet his words echoed in her head, 'No Virginia Weasley, you are so much more.' Ginny wondered what he meant by those words. Had it been anyone else she would have thought it a possibility that he was interested in her. But it was Draco Malfoy.  
  
So deeply was Ginny lost in thought that she walked several steps past the portrait of the Fat lady before she realized. Retracing her steps she muttered the password, "Phoenix feather" before taking a deep breath and entering her common room. All heads swivelled in her direction as though she was a magnet and Ginny noticed that their stares were far from friendly. Taking another deep breath, head held high, she strode through the common room making for the stairs that led to her dorm. She was hardly surprised when a voice from behind her bellowed,  
  
"Stop right there Ginny!"  
  
Ginny stopped and turned around unwillingly wanting nothing more than to be left alone. She knew what was coming; she'd been on the receiving end of it many times. Ron was going to lose his temper and yell till his voice was hoarse, and then he would shake his head; say how disappointed he was with her. Ginny felt her temper flare up at Ron. Half the time he acted as though she wasn't there and the other half he tried to control her life.  
  
'That's not true' said a small voice in the back of her head, 'what about the other day when he said he was worried about you'. But Ginny was not in the mood to listen to that small voice. She watched as Ron stormed up to her, his face as red as his hair.  
  
"Don't." She said softly and menacingly. Ron stopped a few paces away from her and stared, shocked at her tone. He opened his mouth to reply but Ginny cut him off first, "Just don't."  
  
With that she turned and walked to her dorm, picked up her back with all her school stuff and walked back down, passing a still stunned Ron, and made her way out of the common room and to the library.

* * *

'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Draco berated himself. 'What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all? Why not just go back out there and drown yourself in the lake? You might as well 'cos if your dad even hears rumours about what you said you're as good as dead. Draco paced back and forth in his room muttering to himself. Luckily, being a prefect he had his own room where no one would barge in on the slightly crazed slytherin.  
  
"No Virginia, you are so much more." He said to himself. "Next thing you know I'll be buying her flowers and giving her heart shaped chocolates for Valentine's" he said sickened with himself. Draco sighed roughly and sat on the edge of his bed tired of pacing. He wondered why he had said it. He hadn't meant it, it had just slipped out. At first Draco thought that it was because he felt sorry for her, sorry for all the shit she had to go through because of his blasted father. But then he realized that that was not the real reason. He liked her. God only knew how this had happened, but he liked her. A Malfoy liked a Weasley. Draco laughed humourlessly at the irony of it.  
  
Now that he had admitted it to himself though, the question was what to do about it. He knew that it wasn't possible for them to be an item. No one would allow it. So he did the only thing he knew how and locked his newly found emotions away as far from his heart as possible. Angry with himself for letting it come to this he grabbed his school bag and made his way to the library to get some homework out the way.

* * *

"Ronald Weasley, you calm down this instant!" Hermione ordered earning herself a glare from Ron that would have made even Voldemort flinch. Hermione simply ignored it and carried on, "There could be a perfectly reasonable explanation as to what Malfoy was doing in the Ginny's dormitory at 10.30 in the morning." Hermione paused, "Okay maybe not. But Ginny is old enough to make her own decisions as to who she wants to go out with." She said quickly changing course after realizing a vital flaw in her argument.  
  
"Not Malfoy. No slytherins" Breathed Ron.  
  
"I've got to agree with Ron." Said Harry, shifting slightly under the vicious glare Hermione sent in his direction. "It can't be healthy for her to be in his company and come to think of it this really isn't like Ginny at all, I mean -"  
  
"A spell!" Ron shouted in triumph "It's a spell, that's why she's acting so funny."  
  
"Ron..." said Hermione in a patronizing tone, "Do you really think Malfoy could have Ginny under a love spell without even Dumbledore knowing?"  
  
Ron's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Well...no....I guess not." He mumbled before sighing, "I guess there's only one thing we can do. Hermione, I hate to ask this of you but...we need to search Ginny's room, find out why she's acting so odd."  
  
"I most certainly will not!" said Hermione angrily. "That's invasion of privacy. Sorry Ron but I will not go snooping through Ginny's belongings and if you intend to do it I want no part of it." She finished before storming out of the common room in much the same way Ginny had earlier on. Ron turned to Harry,  
  
"Can you believe her? After everything we've done for each other and she can't even do this small favour for me." He said outraged.  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably again. Privately he thought that Ron was going too far, but after remembering how he had felt during the fourth year when Ron had stopped talking to him, he decided not to say anything.  
  
"I mean we've been through so much together. We've battled trolls, saved Sirius, fought Death Eaters... Women! Well if she won't do it, I will."  
  
"Um...but Ron...the stairs..." Harry began feebly as Ron made his way to the opposite end of the common room from the dreaded stairs. Harry looked on in shock as Ron lowered his head, full of determination and charged across the room and up the stairs. As was to be expected the stairs transformed in to a slide but Ron had enough momentum to keep running until he reached the door and burst through. Harry stood stunned as Ron turned around with a grin on his face before waving and disappearing in to Ginny's dormitory.

* * *

At first Ron entered cautiously in case there should be another trap or any girls waiting to ambush him having heard him charging up the stairs. Seeing the room was empty, Ron looked around for what looked to be Ginny's part. He noticed a picture full of redheads on one dressing that he recognized to be his family and made his way over. He grinned at the family photo before noticing that Charlie was shaking his head, and Ginny was scowling at him. With a frown he turned away and slowly began searching the area not sure what he was looking for and making sure he left everything as it was. He opened the draw of her dressing table and looked inside, finding an assortment of things which included spare quills, some sweets from Honeydukes and what appeared to be a jewellery box. Carefully he lifted out the jewellery box and opened it. As was to be expected it was full of jewellery. He shut it and noticed that the box had a draw. Curious, he pulled it open and blinked several times before fully registering what was in it. A knife, several razor blades and a few bits of glass. Looking closely Ron noticed there was still a spot of red one of the bits of glass. Horrified, Ron stumbled backwards before tripping on the edge of a rug. He tumbled down and while getting up saw the speck of blood that Ginny had dropped in her haste to get away from Draco. Ron jumped up, still not fully understanding what he was seeing. He shut the box and put it back in the draw before closing it and running out the dorm and sliding down the stairs. At the bottom he quickly got to his feet and watched the slide transform back in to a staircase hiding any sign that he had been up.  
  
Pale as a ghost, Ron walked over to Harry, oblivious of the stares from the rest of his house.  
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" Harry asked looking concerned.  
  
"Ginny." Ron whispered so softly that Harry barely heard. His eyes were slightly unfocused as though he still couldn't believe what he saw. And then he fainted.  
  
A/N Whee!!! Another chappie done. Every chapter I seem to apologize for the delay but after the 25th June I will have sooo much time to write as the dreaded GCSE's have arrived and they don't finish till then. Anyway I hope that this chapter was worth the wait.  
  
Time to say thankyou to lots of reviewers! So thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!!!!  
  
And can someone please tell me, what does OOC mean? Coz lots of ppl are writing it in reviews and as this is my first fic I don't have a clue what it means.  
  
Ciao. Titchy 


	9. Chapter 9: Family Trust

Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the HP characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing on fanfic...duh!  
  
Chapter 9: Family Trust  
  
When Ron finally came around he heard voices yelling.  
  
"And please, Harry Potter" shouted a strangely familiar female voice, "just why exactly you will not let me see my brother!"  
  
"Um..well...you see..." the voice he recognized to be Harry's stumbled. Ron opened his eyes slowly as he recognized the female to be Ginny and everything came back to him in a flash. The reason behind why he had fainted. Ron felt himself go pale again but forced himself to sit up slightly.  
  
Both heads swivelled towards him and Ron detected concern in both of their faces. He stared at Ginny hard and saw the bags under her eyes. His gaze dropped to her arms which were well covered. Without warning he stretched out and grabbed an arm forcing the sleeve up as Ginny struggled against his iron clasped grip.  
  
"Oh my God." Breathed Ron softly as he traced the pale white lines which ran parallel to one another along her arm. He reached out to touch one but Ginny drew a breath in sharply before yanking her arm away. He jerked his gaze upwards to meet hers and saw her eyes fill up with tears as she gave a giant sob before she turned on her heel and fled.  
  
For minutes Ron stared at the door through which Ginny had fled before Harry brought him back to reality.  
  
"Was that... I mean is she..." Harry struggled to put in to words what he thought he had just seen.  
  
"I don't know...I mean why would she..." Ron said, his gaze still on the door. "How could we not know? How could she hide this?" he continued his voice rising with each question. Ron did not know exactly how he felt but his mixed emotions slowly disappeared and were replaced with anger.  
  
"What reason does she have to do something like that? Does she not realize how much this hurts those who care about her? How can she be so selfish?" Ron roared with fury.  
  
Harry just stood there numb. To say he was slightly confused would be an understatement. He had always seen Ginny as a sweet girl who was carefree and happy. Never had he imagined there to be another side to the cheerful girl who he had met on platform 9 ¾ when he first came to Hogwarts. He vaguely saw Ron rise out of bed out of the corner of his eye and he quickly snapped out of his trance.  
  
"Where are you going?" Harry asked even though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.  
  
"To find Ginny." Ron replied already half way to the door.  
  
"No!" Shouted Harry as he ran to get in front of his friend. "Ron think about this. You need to play this carefully. If you go to her now you'll only get mad and then she won't trust you, she won't confide in you. Leave it till tomorrow" Harry placed both his hands on Ron's chest to stop his friend's forward momentum and looked in to his eyes willing him to understand.  
  
It was at that moment that Madame Pomphrey came bustling in to the room and Harry sighed with relief knowing that she wouldn't let Ron out without a full examination.  
  
"Mr. Weasley get back in to that bed at once." She bellowed. Ron was still staring at the door and finally he looked at Harry as though trying to understand what he had just said. Harry took one of his arms and led him towards a bed stopping only to whisper to Madame Pomphrey to give Ron a potion for dreamless sleep. Madame Pomphrey nodded understandingly and set about preparing the goblets. Not another word was said as Ron took the potion and drifted off in to a much needed sleep.

* * *

Ginny wasn't sure where she was running to. All she knew was that she was running and she would keep on running so that nobody could catch her. She ran to her dorm and grabbed her blades before running back out, through the enterance hall and out to the lake. She kept on running until she found a little cave-like spot near the lake where she could hide from prying eyes. Having wormed her way through she sat and took in deep breaths waiting for her heartbeat to slow down and her breathing rate to come back to normal. Then she cut. She cut deeper than ever before and watched as the substance which kept her living flowed out of her. She felt herself relax as she watched more and more seep out through the many wounds. She cut until she had no space left and then she cut over those cuts which were still healing. Slowly she started to lose consciousness and she welcomed it, the same way at that moment she would welcome death.

* * *

Draco had been in his room when he felt the first cut she made. The spell he'd used made him feel the cut which she had made and he gasped at the deepness of it. No blood of his would spill but that did not mean he could not feel the pain. Draco grabbed his arm as a second, deeper cut was made. He stood up quickly knowing he needed to find her. The spell he had used bound her to him and although he could not tell exactly where she was he sensed she was somewhere near the lake. Without hesitation he rose from his bed where he had been reclining and made for entrance hall.  
  
By the time he got to the lake he had been running. The amount of cuts she had made and the deepness of them worried him. As he got to the lake he felt her presence but there was no sight of her. He knew she wouldn't cut in the open and would look for somewhere small and out of sight. He spotted the cave-like hole and ran to it.  
  
He stopped at the entrance taking in the sight of Ginny. She was lying, barely conscious, surrounded by a pool of red blood. Her face was pale and her arms barely recognizable. Without a word, Draco entered the hole and picked her up. He made his way back to his room knowing that taking her to Madame Pomphrey would only lead to more questions that he was sure she would be unwilling to answer. Luckily he met no one on the way and was soon in his room. Gently he lay her down on to the bed and began to clean her wounds and treat them. When he had finished he gazed at her for a while memorizing her every feature right down to each freckle. He kissed her forehead lightly before drawing a chair up to his bed and sitting on it preparing himself for the long wait until she woke.  
  
A/N well that's another one down. This chapter was really hard to write so I'm sorry if it's really bad obviously I wouldn't know as I can't judge my own writing. Anyway next chappy should be up sometime soon. Thankyou to all my wonderful reviewers!!!!!!!!!! And remember reviewing is good for the soul. Okay, maybe not but review anyway. 


	10. Chapter 10: Family issues

**A/N** Sorry it's been so long but you've got to forgive me. The sun's finally come out and I'm sure those of you in England know how often that happens.

**Lilykins** Draco kisses Ginny because he's realizing that he's come to care for her and it's a way for him to express his emotions. He doesn't do it when she's awake because he still not entirely sure what he feels for her and this scares him.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Family Issues**

Ginny stirred slightly and Draco sat up in his chair. Her eyes opened and she looked around until her eyes clashed with Draco's. He continued to watch her silently out of his stormy grey eyes until she bowed her head in shame.

"Ginny..." Draco started. She refused to look up at him even after hearing her name pass through his lips. "Ginny...we need to talk about this."

She still did not look up or say anything and Draco wondered what had happened to completely break this girl. That was when he noticed her fingers tracing the cuts underneath the gauze. Finally she looked up at him again and Draco was surprised to see no tears, only defeat and helplessness.

"I just want it all to end." She said, her soft voice veiled with pain.

"What happened?" Draco asked his voice as soft as hers.

"I don't know...Ron found out and I lost control. I was scared of what everyone would think. Ron won't keep quiet about this. He'll tell mum for sure. And then what? What's gonna happen to me" Here her voice broke but still one tear did not fall. It was like she had no more tears left.

"Ginny they're your family." Draco said slightly frustrated. "They're only going to try and help. They're not your enemies. At least they will help you."

"Don't you understand" she yelled at him, "The way they'll look at me. The way they'll treat me. They won't understand. They can't. They weren't there." She got up from the bed and used it as support while her head spun.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't know yet."

"I can't let you leave this room." Draco replied evenly.

"Why not?" Demanded Ginny. "I mean what...am I your prisoner here or something?"

"Wherever you go you'll cut." Draco said. "I won't let you do that. You've already lost too much blood."

"You can't keep me here."

"Then I'll take you to Madam Pomphrey or Professor Dumbledore. Whatever it takes to keep you safe from yourself. Don't you see?" He asked his eyes burning in to her, "This has gone too far."

Ginny glared at him not willing to admit it before spinning around and reaching for the door knob. It didn't open.

"Let me out."

"No."

* * *

On the other side of the castle, Ron woke from his dreamless sleep in the Hospital Wing. He saw Harry and Hermione asleep in the chairs either side of him and guessed that Harry had filled Hermione in. He reached for his water goblet on the table beside him .accidentally picking up the one he'd taken earlier for dreamless sleep and took a huge swig. Realizing it wasn't water he spat it out all over the bed and the noise woke Hermione and Harry beside him.

"Ron you're up." Hermione said straightening herself up.

"How're you feeling mate?" Harry asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Like someone knocked me out with dreamless sleep." Replied Ron glaring at Harry. "You wouldn't have had anything to do with that by any chance would you mate?"

"Uh well...um...about that...sorry?" Harry offered with a sheepish smile.

Ron continued to glare at Harry until Hermione cleared her throat.

"I think we have more important matters at hand here boys." She said with a look daring both boys to argue.

"She's right." Sighed Ron.

"So what are we going to do?" Asked Harry.

"I think the first thing to find out is why she's doing it." Suggested Hermione.

"I should owl mum first." Ron replied

"No Ron I don't think that's such a good idea." Said Harry. "If she finds out you've done that she's going to hate you. She obviously doesn't want anyone to know. If we have to then yeah okay, but right now I think we should just try to help her without getting your parents involved and letting the whole world know."

"I guess." Said Ron uncertainly. "But what are we going to do?"

"Talk to her." Said Hermione making it sound as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh right I can really see that conversation happening." Replied Ron sarcastically. "'Hey Gin, wassup? So you cut yourself huh?'"

"Well you could be a bit more tactful about it." Hermione said testily.

Ron opened his mouth to argue but shut it as Harry raised his hand for silence.

"Okay, knowing what to say is one thing, but how are we going to find her. It's not likely she went to the common room or her dorm in that state."

Ron paled, "She probably went off to cut again. Oh shit. What's happened to my baby sister? What kind of brother am I? How could I have not noticed?" Ron said his voice breaking at the end.

Hermione pulled him in to a hug as Harry patted his back.

"It's okay" She said. "Ginny's hidden this from everyone, not just us. And no-one's noticed. This does not make you a bad brother." She said sternly. She pulled back from her hug to look Ron straight in the eye and made sure he understood. Ron looked at her and nodded before burying his head in to her shoulder and let the great sobs rack his body as he realized he'd watched his sister slowly destroy herself over the last few years.

* * *

A/N A few people who reviewed told me not to give up on this story so just to make it clear...I have NO intention of abandoning this story. I may bring in another character...an adult who could help. I'm not sure though. If I did it would probably be either Lupin, Snape or Dumbledore. If anyone has any preferences let me know in a review. Thankyou to everyone who has reviewed so far. By the end of the story I want to try and get to 200 reviews. So review, review, review. 


	11. Chapter 11: Help

Disclaimer: No I don't own any of the HP characters. If I did I wouldn't be writing on fanfic...duh!

* * *

Chapter 11: Help

"Let me out."

"No."

Ginny blinked as though not quite comprehending Draco's response. Slowly Draco stood up and led her back towards the bed.

"You've lost a lot of blood." He said, "You should rest."

He handed her a sleeping potion that Professor Snape had given him for himself and she drank it without question. She fell asleep almost instantly.

Draco tucked the covers around her and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face. Then without a word he left the room.

* * *

Back in the Hospital Wing, Ron's sobs had died down until his breathing had evened out and his body had fallen limp indicating he had fallen asleep. Gently Harry and Hermione laid him back on his bed and covered him with the duvet.

Hermione nodded towards the door of the Hospital Wing and both teens made their way there quietly to avoid waking the sleeping redhead.

"So what do you think?" Harry whispered after a moment of silence.

Hermione sighed. "I don't understand why."

"I think I might."

Hermione looked sharply at Harry before indicating that he should continue.

Harry took a deep breath before continuing. "In the Chamber of Secrets..." he paused trying to find the right words, "the way Tom talked...it was as though he'd talked Ginny in to doing all that stuff. Hermione," he said looking directly in to her eyes, "I don't think Ginny was possessed when she opened the Chamber of Secrets."

Hermione gasped. "Are you saying she did it of her own free will?" she said appalled at the idea.

"I'm not sure. I think Tom brainwashed her. He said that she confided in him things she couldn't tell anyone else. I think Ginny began to love him...but now that he's gone and she knows who he was I think she's trying to -"

"-Punish herself" Hermione finished softly.

"Harry we have to tell someone."

"First we need to find her. Hermione, stay here incase Ron wakes up. I'll go look for her."

Hermione nodded and Harry swiftly left the Hospital Wing.

* * *

Draco strode down the corridors in the dungeons towards Snape's office deepily in thought. He still was not sure if he was doing the right thing. But he did not know what to do for Ginny and he could not bear to watch her suffer.

As he reached the door to Professor Snape's office he raised a hand to knocked. He hesitated slightly before knocking twice.

"Come in." called a cold voice from within.

Draco entered, slightly nervous. Although he cared greatly for the other man and saw him as a kind of mentor, he shuddered at Snape's reaction to finding out he was coming to care for a Weasley. But he would do this, if only for Ginny. The thought still scared him but he knew that now was not the time to dwell on this matter.

Professor Snape looked up from the parchment he was writing on and sat back in his chair when he noticed it was Draco.

"Yes, Draco?"

"Sir..." Draco stopped. He really wasn't sure what the best way to break this news to his head of house was. "Sir..." he tried again.

Snape leaned forward a slightly concerned look on his face. "What is it Draco?"

"It's about Ginny Weasley, Professor."

Snape sighed loudly, "If you are simply here to complain about Gryffindors again -"

"No!" Draco interrupted. "Sir would come with me for a minute please." He said feeling that the best way to tell him would be to show him. Snape looked at him curiously and a bit impatiently before rising to his feet.

"This had better not be a waste of my time Draco." He warned the teen as he followed Draco out of his office.

* * *

Harry made his way to Gryffindor Tower wondering what he would do when he found Ginny. He himself had once tried self mutilation to take his mind off the burden that was his life but it had not worked. He had thought it would be an escape but for him it had not really worked.

He muttered the password to the portrait of the Fat Lady distractedly and headed straight for his dorm and his trunk where the Marauder's Map lay.

Severus Snape followed Draco through the corridors of the dungeon. As they walked he observed the young slytherin. He saw the confident long stride and the emotionless mask that the boy wore, but he also noticed the worry hidden in the depths of his stormy, grey eyes. The Professor could not help but wonder what Draco was so worried about and how it affected the youngest of the Weasleys. He did not wonder for long.

The slytherin head of house was slightly puzzled as to why Draco was leading him to his room, but he did not question it. He would find out when he arrived. Draco whispered the password a portrait of some slytherin and entered the room not even checking to see if his professor was following.

Snape's jaw dropped as he noticed the young Weasley tucked in Draco's bed. However his surprise quickly vanished and his face was wiped blank of any emotion, for to show emotion was to show a weakness, something he could not show in the face of anyone especially this boy who was likely to follow in his father's footsteps.

His sharp gaze followed Draco as he made his way to the Weasley's side and checked she was still sleeping. Then slowly he withdrew her arm from the many sheets tucked around her and slid the sleeve up. Severus fought hard to keep his face expressionless as he saw the carvings on the girl's arm.

"Draco..." he looked to the boy for an explanation.

Draco did not look at Snape but instead gazed down at Ginny. The mask he usually wore had long been dropped and Snape could feel the anxiety rolling off the youth in waves.

"Sir...she needs help"

"I gathered as much" Snape bit back a little harshly, "What I want to know is _why_ she needs help, for how _long_ this has been going and how exactly _you_ got involved?"

Draco's gaze still didn't drift from Ginny's face and he realized that he was still unaware as to why she cut herself. He'd asked her that day by the lake but she had somehow sidestepped the question.

Snape's gaze softened slightly at the look of desperation on Draco's face. He saw that he genuinely cared about the girl and his illusions about the boy completely shattered. He had not lost Draco Malfoy to Voldemort yet.

The silence in the room lingered and when Snape had begun to think Draco would not answer his question he did.

"She said two years but she never said why. I knew something was wrong a few days ago and I was going to find out what it was and tease her about it...but I couldn't..."

"...Because it reminded you of your own situation" Snape finished softly for him having been the one to help Draco through his own difficult time. "Well there is nothing for it but to wait until she wakes up." Snape said lowering himself in to one of the chairs next to the bed. "Am I right in thinking you gave her a sleeping potion."

Draco nodded and lowered himself in to the other chair, once again settling himself for the long wait until Ginny Weasley woke.

* * *

A/N OMG I am sooooo sorry it's been so long. I completely forgot about my story (ooops) anyway please don't stop that from making you review.


	12. AUTHOR'S NOTE

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry everyone but I have decided to discontinue this story. This story was originally a way for me to work through my issues but now I lack the inspiration and I have no idea where I am going with this story anymore. Thank you to everyone who reviewed as I probably wouldn't have got as far as I did without all your encouragement. This story was an okay plot which went wrong somewhere along the way. Sorry to anyone who was enjoying it. I may decide to rework the entire fic and continue with it at a later date but I make no promises. To anyone who wishes to continue it, email me.


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